Friday, October 21, 2016

NBA Jumps On the Virtual Reality Bandwagon Early (Watch)


If you've ever wondered what it's like to be in the middle of a real NBA game, you're in luck – sort of. Beginning October 27, the league is broadcasting at least one game per week using virtual reality technology. That makes it the first major sports league to have regularly scheduled VR broadcasts.


At first, the games will only be available to Samsung VR users. But they'll be available to users of other devices later in the season.


In addition, you have to be an NBA League Pass subscriber to get access to the VR feed. But the first game being broadcast between the Sacramento Kings and the San Antonio Spurs comes during the League Pass free trial period. So anyone with a Samsung Gear VR can see what the feed is like free of charge.


There currently aren't too many people who own VR devices. But it's certainly an area that's experiencing growth. And by getting involved with this growing trend early, the NBA can potentially gain some fans, or at least turn some casual fans into League Pass subscribers. It can also allow the league to work out any potential bugs early, instead of leaving it until more consumers have experienced VR and expect a seamless experience.


The Business Benefits of Early Tech Adoption


It's not always beneficial for companies to be the first to jump into using a new type of technology. But in some cases, it does make sense to get involved early. The NBA might just reap the business benefits of early tech adoption for years to come.


Lebron James Photo via Shutterstock


This article, "NBA Jumps On the Virtual Reality Bandwagon Early (Watch)" was first published on Small Business Trends



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